The present invention relates to a hinge cover mechanism for electric devices having foldable casing also called xe2x80x9cfolding casingsxe2x80x9d and in particular the present invention relates to hinge cover mechanisms of hinge mechanisms for aforesaid electric devices offering advantageous characteristics for protecting the hinge mechanism, electrical conductor means passing through the subject hinge mechanism and for providing lift and inclination functionality.
The advantages of a design of electronic devices with folding casings is well known especially in the field of mobile and portable electronic devices, respectively. The advantages refer primarily to the usability of such electronic devices that are conventionally formed of two casing halves, which are pivoted by a hinge mechanism adjoining the two casing halves with each other. A folding casing may have at least two folding positions, i.e. a close position, in which both casing halves are stacked on the top of each other, and an open position, in which the surfaces of the casing halves, which face towards each other in the close position, are exposed to a user. The close position offers an advantageous shape for carrying the device by a user, whereas the open position allows for presenting a relative large area to the user for implementing operating/control components such as keyboards, keypad, joysticks, touchpads etc. and for display components. Moreover, these components, which are presented to a possible user in the open position of the electronic device, are protected against external influences in the close position. Conventionally, a main body representing a first casing half implements electronics and operating/control components, while a top body representing a second casing half implements display components. Such aforementioned electronic devices with folding casings known and employed for laptop and notebook computers, mobile phones, digital personal assistants, mobile communicators etc. only to list a selection of examples.
The hinge mechanism which provides for the junction of the casing halves and which allows for pivoting about at least one pivot axis is subject to several functional constraints. One constraint is focused by the design of the hinge mechanism itself and a second main problem emerging with the enabling of traversing electrical conductors through the hinge mechanism to have electrical connectivity between electrical and electronic components, respectively, implemented in the casing halves.
A flexible material in the form of a strip, flap etc. may allow realization of the hinge mechanism itself. Such a design of the hinge mechanism itself enables the pivoted operating of the hinge mechanism but this design is subjected to wear by the pivoting movements simultaneously such that this design may only allow for a limited number of pivoting movements (up to a maximum of several hundreds). More stable against frequent use are hinge mechanisms, which provide articulated hinges with articulated axles.
The electrical conducting of the two casing halves through the hinge mechanism is conventionally accomplished by flexible printed circuits (FPC), which are indeed printed wire boards (PWB), being manufactured from a flexible board material. Concerns refer to the electrical conductor and especially the mechanical stress applied thereto due to the bending and pivoting movements, respectively, as well as the protection of the electrical conductor against injury from external influences.
The bending radius of the electrical conductor determines the mechanical stress that can be applied to the electrical conductor by bending and pivoting movements. The bending radius is further determined by the dimensions of the hinge mechanism, which is primarily determined by the dimension constraints set by the size of the electronic device having folding casings. The smaller the dimensions of the electronic device, the smaller the dimensions of the hinge mechanism and therefore the smaller the bending radius such that consequently, mechanical stress, torsion, compressing, tension, etc. of the electrical conductor increases with decreasing the bending radius. The electrical conductor has to withstand the mechanical deformation effected by the bending movements applied thereon each time the hinge mechanism is operated and in particular the electrical conductor has to exhibit the ability to resist breakage thereof also after frequent bending cycles.
Furthermore, the electrical conductor has to be protected against accidental injury applied thereon from outside of the electronic device when the electronic device is in open position. A simple solution of this concern is to protect the electrical conductor by a covering such with a flap of flexible resistant protective material. But a simple coverage is normally not sufficient to protect against puncturing, cutting and any similar effects by sharp and pointed objects, respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,395 discloses a hollow articulated hinge mechanism, which allows for routing electrical conductors therethrough. The articulated hinge mechanism is designed to enable one half of the two-piece folding casing to be rotated by one full revolution about the other half of the two-piece folding casing. The electrical conductors are subjected to distributed torsional stress during rotation movements which is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,395 to be superior to locally concentrated stress of compression and tension. The design of the disclosed hollow articulated hinge mechanism might be advantageous over conventional solutions enlightened above but has disadvantages, which contradict a common use. The space within the hollow articulated hinge mechanism for accommodating electrical conductors is limited due to the specific routing of the electrical conductors therethrough. Consequently, the number of electrical conductors is restricted. Moreover, the torsional deformation of the electrical conductors within the hollow articulated hinge mechanism also limits the number of electrical conductors to be routed through such that the concept of U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,395 is not universally applicable in the field of electronic devices with folding casings.
Generally in view of the above-presented introduction the present invention refers to an improved hinge cover mechanism, which is advantageous over the above referenced state of the art.
In detail, a first object of the present invention is to provide a hinge cover mechanism that serves for protecting electric conductors traversing from one of the casing part to another one to allow for electric conduction of electric components included therein. The protection refers among others to damages and wearing out effects, which may be caused by external (environmental) influences, i.e. manipulations, operations, impacts etc. caused from the outside of the hinge cover mechanism.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a hinge cover mechanism that serves in parallel for lifting that casing part of the folding casing, which is conventionally supported by a base/supporting surface during use of the electric device by a user. In particular, the lift functionality shall be designed to effect a gradient inclination to the lifted casing part.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a hinge cover mechanism that allows for implementing frictional effects, which counteract opening and closing events without requiring supplementary components.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a hinge cover mechanism that allows for implementing a securing mechanism, which ensures a locking of the folding casing in the close position such that accidental and undesired opening of the folding casing is substantially prevented.
A superordinate object of the present invention is to provide a hinge cover mechanism, the components of which are manufactured and are assembled to the aforesaid hinge mechanism in an economic way. The economic manufacturing of the hinge cover mechanism may be obtained by components with a simple design, which may be put together quickly and easily.
The objects of the present invention are solved by a hinge cover mechanism and an electric device having a hinge cover mechanism, which are defined in claim 1 and claim 10, respectively. Preferred embodiments of the inventive hinge arrangement are defined in the dependent claims.
According to an aspect of the invention, a hinge cover mechanism for an electric device with a folding casing is provided. The folding casing is constituted by at least a first casing part and a second casing part, which are adjoined by a hinge mechanism to allow for pivot movement of the folding casing about a hinge pivot axis established by the hinge mechanism. The hinge cover mechanism comprises the hinge cover component with at least first pivot means and second pivot means. The first pivot means cooperate with the second casing part to allow pivot movement about a first cover pivot axis that is established by the first pivot means. The second pivot means cooperate with the first casing part to allow linear movement relative to the first casing part and pivot movement about a first cover pivot axis that is established by the second pivot means. During a pivot movement of the first casing part against the second casing part about the hinge pivot axis, i.e. during an opening movement of the folding casing, there occur substantially two movement ranges. In the first movement range the hinge cover component substantially moves linearly in a direction away from the first casing part forming an indentation between the first casing part and the hinge cover component. In the second movement range the hinge cover component moves linearly backwards and pivots simultaneously such that the hinge cover component performs totally a tilting movement. During the tilting movement a bottom part of the hinge cover component is lowered to touch a supporting surface on which the folding casing rests and the first casing part is lifted with respect to the supporting surface. The first pivot means and the second pivot means may be embodied as first pivot elements and second pivot elements, respectively, which engage correspondingly into the second casing part and the first casing part, respectively. Alternatively, the first pivot means and the second pivot means may be realized as first pivot elements and second pivot elements, respectively, being established in conjunction with the second casing part and the first casing part, respectively and which engage correspondingly into the hinge cover component.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the hinge pivot axis, the first cover pivot axis and the second cover pivot axis are different axes each being separated at predefined distances. Further the distance between the hinge pivot axis and the first cover pivot axis is substantially shorter than said distance between said hinge pivot axis and said second cover pivot axis to allow the above described linear and pivot movements of the hinge cover component.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the substantially linear movement obtained during the movement ranges is guided substantially parallel to a resting surface of the first casing part.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the substantially linear movement obtained during the movement ranges may be guided by groove elements, which may be formed in the first casing part or which may be alternatively formed in the hinge cover component. The groove elements accept the second pivot means for linear sliding and pivot movement.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the groove elements are formed as elongated holes which are dimensioned to guide the second pivot means and therefore to allow linear and pivot movement thereof.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the tilting movement of the hinge cover component comprises an inclination of the hinge cover component at a cover inclination angle and an inclination of the first casing part at a casing inclination angle. These inclination angles are contra-inclining angles.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the first casing part is lifted at a distance substantially beneath the second cover pivot axis, i.e. the second pivot means, during tilting movement.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the groove elements have given dimensions parallel to a resting surface of the first casing part. The given dimensions determine the substantially linear movement of the hinge cover component.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the hinge cover mechanism additionally comprises a locking mechanism that is at least adapted to ensure that said folding casing could not accidentally open independently. That means, the folding casing opens only on manual operation performed by a user. Moreover, the locking mechanism may be designed to ensure that a once opened folding casing remains in its current open position, i.e. the casing opening angle is maintained by the locking mechanism. Such maintenance of the opening angle may be obtained by taking advantages of frictional effects.
According to a distinct embodiment of the invention, the locking mechanism includes at least a resilient element, a pin element and a pin acceptance element formed in the hinge cover component. The pin element engages with a given pretension into the pin acceptance element in a closed position of the folding casing. The given pretension is applied by the resilient element driving the pin element into the pin acceptance element. In any open position, a given pretension may be applied by the resilient element driving the pin element against a counter surface that effects frictional effects.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the hinge cover component serves to protect an electric conduction means routed though the hinge mechanism and connecting electric components enclosed in the casing parts, wherein the protection is maintained during pivot movement.
According to an aspect of the invention, an electric device hinge with a folding casing is provided. The folding casing is constituted by at least a first casing part and a second casing part, which are adjoined by a hinge mechanism to allow pivot movement of the folding casing about a hinge pivot axis established by the hinge mechanism. The hinge cover mechanism comprises the hinge cover component with at least first pivot means and second pivot means. The first pivot means cooperate with the second casing part to allow pivot movement about a first cover pivot axis established by the first pivot means. The second pivot means cooperate with the first casing part to allow linear movement relative to the first casing part and pivot movement about a first cover pivot axis established by the second pivot means. During a pivot movement of the first casing part against the second casing part about the hinge pivot axis, i.e. during an opening movement of the folding casing, there occur substantially two movement ranges. In the first movement range the hinge cover component substantially moves linearly in a direction away from the first casing part forming an indentation between the first casing part and the hinge cover component. In the second movement range the hinge cover component moves linearly backwards and pivots simultaneously such that the hinge cover component performs totally a titling movement. During the titling movement a bottom part of the hinge cover component is lowered to touch a supporting surface on which the folding casing rests and the first casing part is lifted with respect to the supporting surface.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the hinge pivot axis, the first cover pivot axis and the second cover pivot axis are different axes each being separated at predefined distances. Further the distance between the hinge pivot axis and the first cover pivot axis is substantially shorter than said distance between said hinge pivot axis and said second cover pivot axis to allow the above described linear and pivot movements of the hinge cover component.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the substantially linear movement obtained during the movement ranges is guided substantially parallel to a resting surface of the first casing part.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the substantially linear movement obtained during the movement ranges may be guided by groove elements, which may be formed in the first casing part or which may be alternatively formed in the hinge cover component. The groove elements accept the second pivot means for linear sliding and pivot movement.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the groove elements are formed as elongated holes which are dimensioned to guide the second pivot means and therefore to allow linear and pivot movement thereof.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the tilting movement of the hinge cover component comprises an inclination of the hinge cover component at a cover inclination angle and an inclination of the first casing part at a casing inclination angle. These inclination angles are contra-inclining angles.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the first casing part is lifted at a distance substantially beneath the second cover pivot axis, i.e. the second pivot means, during tilting movement.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the groove elements have given dimensions parallel to a resting surface of the first casing part. The given dimensions determine the substantially linear movement of the hinge cover component.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the hinge cover mechanism additionally comprises a locking mechanism that is at least adapted to ensure that said folding casing could not accidentally open independently.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the hinge cover component serves to protect an electric conduction means routed though the hinge mechanism and connecting electric components enclosed in the casing parts, wherein the protection is maintained during pivot movement.